D20 CALL OF CTHULHU LITE - Angelfire



D20 CALL OF CTHULHU LITE

(D20 System Reference Document Required to use these Rules)

OCCUPATIONS

Every character gets 12 skills from the skill list as core skills. These are the skills acquired most easily by that character -- they have a cost of one skill point per rank. All other skills cost that character two skill points per rank.

When you create a character, you can choose one of the profession templates listed below. If the Gamemaster allows it, you have the option of creating a new profession, either by customizing one of the professions given in this chapter, or by listing 12 skills that profession would require.

Keep in mind that core skills should be thought of as those used in a character's profession, daily life, hobbies, and so forth. Since every character is different, even the profession templates below allow you to choose three skills to personify your specific character.

For example, Bruce wants to create a character who is an old man, well-studied in history and lore. He decides to choose a few skills that are important to his concept, starting with Knowledge (history) and Research. Then he notices that both the antiquarian and professor profession templates (listed below) might be a good match for his character concept. He decides he doesn't want his character to be in a university, so he chooses antiquarian.

Keeping the two skills he has already picked (since they're part of the template), he gains Appraise, Forgery, Gather Information, and Speak Other Language as core skills (they come with the template). He decides his additional language will be Latin. He also has to select specializations for three Knowledge skills, so he chooses Knowledge (local), Knoweldge (geography), and Knowledge (occult).

As his three additional skills of choice, he picks Hide and Move Silently (he used to be an avid hunter in his younger days) and Knowledge (philosophy). These make up his twelve core skills. Bruce asks the Gamemaster if he can trade Forgery for Wilderness Lore, and the GM approves. After all, the profession templates are provided as a guide only.

Designing a New Profession: You can use these templates as sources for ideas for other sorts of characters. For example, you could choose some of the skills on the criminal list and some from the technician list to get a computer hacker. The doctor combined with the soldier gets a combat medic. The archeologist template with different Knowledge skills might yield a geologist or a chemist.

Before you design a new profession template for your character, get the approval of your Gamemaster. Ask if it would work with her campaign. If you choose something unusual for your new profession, such as Knowledge (occult) for a cab driver or Demolitions for a ufologist, your GM might not allow it unless you have a strong rationale for it as part of your character concept.

The era in which your campaign is set also influences some skill choices. For example, Computer Use is a relatively common skill in a modern-day game, but if you wanted to set an adventure in Victorian England, it would need to be swapped out.

Three Sample Profession Templates

Listed under each of the following headers are the core skills for the profession and the ability score each skill is keyed to [in brackets].

|Antiquarian |Criminal |Technician |

|Forgery [Int] |Bluff [Cha] |Computer Use [Int] |

|Gather Information [Cha] |Disable Device [Int] |Craft (any one) [Int] |

|Knowledge (history) [Int] |Escape Artist [Dex] |Disable Device [Int] |

|Knowledge (any one) [Int] |Forgery [Int] |Knowledge (any one) [Int] |

|Knowledge (any one) [Int] |Hide [Dex] |Open Lock [Dex] |

|Knowledge (any one) [Int] |Innuendo [Wis] |Operate Heavy Machinery [Dex] |

|Research [Int] |Move Silently [Dex] |Repair [Int] |

|Speak Other Language [Int] |Open Lock [Dex] |Research [Int] |

|+ three more of the player's choice |Sleight of Hand [Dex] |Search [Int] |

| |+ three more of player's choice |+ three more of the player's choice |

Sanity

STARTING SANITY = WISDOM X 5

MAXIMUM SANITY = 99 – CTHULHU MYTHOS RANKS

Conflict, abuse, or any other strong personal experience inflicts emotional scars. To emphasize certain ideas he had concerning fear, the unknown, and humanity's lowly place in the scheme of things, Lovecraft posited brand new terrors for us. He suggested that the laws of space and time that we believe to be universal and immutable are only locally valid, and only partly true.

Beyond our ken lie infinities where greater realities hold sway. Outside our perception, alien powers and races wait with hostility, or at best, cosmic indifference. Some encroach on our world. The true universe is one with no joy or comfort. It is driven by mind-bending forces to which our existence holds no significance, and titanic struggles in which our desires and needs matter not at all. Human insanity confirms these terrible realizations, and is often caused by them. Through madness, we glimpse the dark and bloody truths at the heart of the universe.

Sanity is ordinarily lost in a few specific ways.

Learning the Truth. Knowledge is dangerous, and none more dangerous than knowledge of the Mythos -- the true face of reality in the universe. No amount of psychotherapy or rest can remove the danger of self-transformation from such knowledge.

Using Spells. Mythos magic relies on the physics of the true universe. By learning and casting spells, investigators visualize the unimaginable, warping their minds to follow alien ways of thought. These wound the mind. Such traumas are ones for which the casters volunteer, it is true, but they are shocks all the same.

Reading Forbidden Tomes. Mythos tomes add ranks to an investigator's Cthulhu Mythos skill and teach Mythos spells. Studying and comprehending Mythos books causes all that we know to become like shadows. The burning power of a greater reality seizes the soul. Whether we try to retreat from the experience or hunger greedily for more, it destroys our confidence in what we once believed, opening us up to the all-encompassing truths of the Cthulhu Mythos.

Encountering the Unimaginable. When people perceive the creatures and entities of the Mythos, it costs them some portion of their minds, as such creatures are intrinsically discomforting and repellent. We never lose awareness of their slimy, fetid alien nature, which Lovecraft often characterizes as "obscene" or "blasphemous." This instinctive reaction is part and parcel of every human being. In this category, we can include supernatural events or agents not always recognized as specifically attached to the Mythos, such as hauntings, zombies, vampires, curses, and so on.

Severe Shocks. Non-Mythos shocks can also cost Sanity points. This includes witnessing untimely or violent death, experiencing personal mutilation, loss of social position, treachery, the failure of love, or whatever else the Gamemaster decides is sufficiently extreme

INVESTIGATOR LEVELS AND ADVANCEMENT

Investigator

Hit Die:: d6.

Mandatory Class Skills: None

Skill Points: 8.

Benefits: None. The basic investigator's strength lies in his flexibility.

Drawbacks: None. The basic investigator doesn't receive any special abilities, but he does not incur any penalties.

Wealth Modifier: As per selected profession.

Choose either the Defense Option or Offence Option Advancement:

|Defense Option |

|Level |Base Save |Base Save |Base Save |Base Attack Bonus |

| |Progression 1 |Progression 2 |Progression 3 | |

|1st |+0 |+2 |+2 |+0 |

|2nd |+0 |+3 |+3 |+1 |

|3rd |+1 |+3 |+3 |+1 |

|4th |+1 |+4 |+4 |+2 |

|5th |+1 |+4 |+4 |+2 |

|6th |+2 |+5 |+5 |+3 |

|7th |+2 |+5 |+5 |+3 |

|8th |+2 |+6 |+6 |+4 |

|9th |+3 |+6 |+6 |+4 |

|10th |+3 |+7 |+7 |+5 |

|11th |+3 |+7 |+7 |+5 |

|12th |+4 |+8 |+8 |+6 |

|13th |+4 |+8 |+8 |+6 |

|14th |+4 |+9 |+9 |+7 |

|15th |+5 |+9 |+9 |+7 |

|16th |+5 |+10 |+10 |+8 |

|17th |+5 |+10 |+10 |+8 |

|18th |+6 |+11 |+11 |+9 |

|19th |+6 |+11 |+11 |+9 |

|20th |+6 |+12 |+12 |+10 |

-

|Offense Option |

|Level |Base Save |Base Save |Base Save |Base Attack Bonus |

| |Progression 1 |Progression 2 |Progression 3 | |

|1st |+0 |+0 |+2 |+1 |

|2nd |+0 |+0 |+3 |+2 |

|3rd |+1 |+1 |+3 |+3 |

|4th |+1 |+1 |+4 |+4 |

|5th |+1 |+1 |+4 |+5 |

|6th |+2 |+2 |+5 |+6 |

|7th |+2 |+2 |+5 |+7 |

|8th |+2 |+2 |+6 |+8 |

|9th |+3 |+3 |+6 |+9 |

|10th |+3 |+3 |+7 |+10 |

|11th |+3 |+3 |+7 |+11 |

|12th |+4 |+4 |+8 |+12 |

|13th |+4 |+4 |+8 |+13 |

|14th |+4 |+4 |+9 |+14 |

|15th |+5 |+5 |+9 |+15 |

|16th |+5 |+5 |+10 |+16 |

|17th |+5 |+5 |+10 |+17 |

|18th |+6 |+6 |+11 |+18 |

|19th |+6 |+6 |+11 |+19 |

|20th |+6 |+6 |+12 |+20 |

FEATS

[pic]

[pic]

SKILLS

|Appraise¹ |INT |

| | |

|Balance¹ |DEX* |

| | |

|Bluff¹ |CHA |

| | |

|Climb¹ |STR* |

| | |

|Computer Use¹ |INT |

| | |

|Concentration¹ |CON |

| | |

|Craft skills…¹ |INT |

| | |

|Demolitions |INT |

| | |

|Diplomacy¹ |CHA |

| | |

|Disable Device¹ |INT |

| | |

|Disguise¹ |CHA |

| | |

|Drive¹ |DEX |

| | |

|Escape Artist¹ |DEX* |

| | |

|Forgery¹ |INT |

| | |

|Gather Information¹ |CHA |

| | |

|Heal¹ |WIS |

| | |

|Hide¹ |DEX* |

| | |

|Intimidate¹ |CHA |

| | |

|Jump¹ |STR* |

| | |

|Knowledge (anthropology) |INT |

| | |

|Knowledge (archaeology) |INT |

| | |

|Knowledge (biology) |INT |

| | |

|Knowledge (mathematics) |INT |

| | |

|Knowledge (physics) |INT |

| | |

|Listen¹ |WIS |

| | |

|Move Silently¹ |DEX* |

| | |

|Performance skills¹ |CHA |

| | |

|Pilot |DEX |

| | |

|Psychic Focus |WIS |

| | |

|Psychoanalysis |WIS |

| | |

|Repair |DEX |

| | |

|Research¹ |INT |

| | |

|Ride¹ |DEX |

| | |

|Search¹ |INT |

| | |

|Sense Motive¹ |WIS |

| | |

|Speak Aramaic |INT |

| | |

|Speak Latin |INT |

| | |

|Spot¹ |WIS |

| | |

|Swim¹ |STR** |

| | |

|Use Rope¹ |DEX |

| | |

|Wilderness Lore¹ |WIS |

| | |

MYTHOS BEINGS

Zoog

Small Magical Beast

Hit Dice: 1d10-1 (hp 4)

Initiative: +2 (Dex)

Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

AC: 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex)

Attacks: Bite +3 melee, dagger -3 melee or dart -1 ranged

Damage: Bite 1d3-3; dagger 1d4-3; dart 1d4-3

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Qualities: Lowlight vision; darkvision (60 ft.); scent

Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +0

Abilities: Str 4, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 7

Skills: Climb +5*, Hide +13*, Knowledge (Local) +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +9*, Spot +3, Wilderness Lore +2

Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)

Climate/Terrain: Any forest

Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4), pack (7-12) or village (20-120 plus 2nd-5th level expert)

Challenge Rating: 1/2

Treasure: Standard goods and items; no coins

Alignment: Usually chaotic neutral

Advancement: By character class

* Use Dexterity modifier for Climb. Includes +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently. In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, raise the Hide bonus to +8.

Zoogs are large rodent-like creatures with large eyes, whose toothy mouths are hidden behind a cluster of short pink tentacles. They have dextrous forepaws, with which they can use tools or weapons. Their tails are hairless, like a rat's, and prehensile. They live in enchanted woods in the Dreamlands, where they live off of fruit, fungi and the flesh of mean and animals.

Combat

Zoogs can use Small or Tiny weapons (uusally daggers or darts), but are most skilled with their bites. They prefer to attack from ambush, and are masters of stealth. They will even attack humans if they have the advantage in numbers, because they relish human flesh (especially that of dreamers).

Zoog Society

Zoogs have little organization beyond family groups, and even those ties break down as adolescent zoogs indulge their curiosity about the wider world. However, the zoogs regularly gather at sacred sites to trade stories, and so their leaders (such as they are) are either those sages who have learned the most stories or those rogues who have survived the most exciting adventures.

The curiosity of the zoogs occasionally disposes them to parley with other races as a change from hunting them. They will even befriend specific individuals that bring them new and exotic stories or viands, but zoog "allies" are unpredictable at best.

Zoogs have their own language, which has a fluting sound to it. They can learn other languages, but cannot speak them without magical aid. The zoogs only teach their language to their most trusted friends.

Zoog Characters

The statistics above are for a typical (unclassed) zoog. They may advance as adepts, experts, rangers or sorcerers, but their favored class is rogue. Zoog leaders are usually experts ("sages") or rogues. Adepts are rare, and clerics seem to be unknown; most zoog spellcasters are sorcerers.

Blupe

Small Elemental (Water)

Hit Dice: 1d8 (hp 4)

Initiative: +3 (-1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)

Speed: fly 30 ft. (good), swim 30 ft.

AC: 10 (+1 size, -1 Dex)

Attacks: Pseudopod -2 melee touch

Damage: 0

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Extinguish fires

Special Qualities: Elemental; amphibious; damage resistance (special)

Saves: Fort +2, Ref -1, Will -1

Abilities: Str 6, Dex 8, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 8, Cha 6

Skills: Hide +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Spot +2

Feats: Improved Initiative

Climate/Terrain: Dark Dimension, and any aquatic

Organization: Solitary or school (2-4)

Challenge Rating: 1/4

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: 2-3 HD (Small)

Blupes are flying amoeba-like water elementals from the Dark Dimension (home of the god Zo-Kalar). They are often summoned by wizards and priests to combat fire-based menaces. (Spellcasters familiar with blupes may call one using either summon monster I or nature's ally I.) Blupes understand Aquan, but cannot speak.

Combat

Blupes have no effective attack except against fire-based creatures, which they extinguish.

Extinguish fires (Ex): A blupe can extinguish normal fires with a touch, but take damage as follows: candle 0, torch 1, campfire 1d6, bonfire 2d6 (or more). A blupe may also make a melee touch attack against a fire elemental in an attempt to damage or destroy the target. Such an attack does 2d6 damage to the fire elemental, but also does 1d6 damage to the blupe. Against a fire elemental of 2 HD or less, such an attack kills the target outright unless the blupe itself is killed by the damage it takes.

Elemental: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, critical hits or flanking.

Amphibious (Ex): Blupes may survive in air indefinitely.

Damage resistance (Ex): Blupes take minimum damage from all physical attacks. Fire-based attacks do normal damage.

Cat (Dreamlands)

Tiny Animal

Hit Dice: 1/2 d8 (2 hp)

Initiative: +2 (Dex)

Speed: 30 ft.

AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex)

Attacks: 2 claws +4 melee, bite -1 melee

Damage: claw 1d4-2, bite 1d3-4

Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./ 0 ft.

Special Qualities: Lowlight vision, leap to the Moon

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1

Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 9

Skills: Balance +10*, Climb +5, Hide +17*, Listen +4, Move Silently +9*, Spot +4

Feats: Weapon Finesse (claw, bite)

Climate/Terrain: Any land

Organization: Solitary or army (10-100, plus one 3rd-level warrior per 10 adults)

Challenge Rating: 1/2

Treasure: None

Alignment: Usually neutral

Advancement: By character class

* Includes +8 racial bonus to Balance, and +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently. In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus raises to +8.

Cats in the Dreamlands are intelligent and sentient, have their own language, and have a loose society based upon military service in the wars between Earth's cats and those from other worlds (notably, Saturn and Uranos). The cats also wage war against other creatures (such as zoogs) who pose a threat to their race or their ailurophilic allies. In spite of their new abilities, cats retain the "animal" type.

All cats understand Common, and they may learn other languages. However, they cannot speak any language other than their own without magical aid. Non-felines must have at least 4 ranks in Animal Empathy in order to learn the Cat language.

If a cat is made the subject of an awaken spell, the cat retains its original Intelligence, but gains the increase in Charisma and the ability to speak one or more of the caster's languages. A cat who already has a character class do not gain the increase in hit dice.

Leap to the Moon (Sp): Once per night, a cat may attempt to leap from the Earth to the Moon (or vice versa). The chance of success is 20% per character level (minimum 20%). A group of cats may leap together, in which case they use the highest-level cat's chance of success, +1% per cat in the group. A group may also take non-cats along with them, with a weight limit equal to the cats' total mass (1d8 lbs. per cat). This power is rarely used solo due to its difficulty and the dangers to be faced on the Moon (moon-beasts, cats from Saturn, etc.). Typically, a cat army making the leap together number 50-100 or more (for a 70% or better chance of success). The journey takes about one hour, and cannot be aborted once started. During this time, the leapers are protected from the dangers of space (including attacks by monsters).

Combat: Cats attack with their claws and bite. Cat armies include expert tacticians, and serving cats are trained in attacking larger opponents en masse.

Characters

The stats above are for a non-classed cat--effectively, a 1st-level commoner. For a typical warrior, raise those stats to HD 1d8, hp 4, and +1 to attack bonuses.

The favored class for cats is ranger. They may advance as clerics, fighters, rogues, rangers, sorcerers, or any NPC class. Most spell-casters are adepts. Cat adepts and sorcerors may not gain familiars. Due to their size and body structure, cats cannot become proficient with armor or weapons, regardless of class.

To determine ability scores for cat characters, roll 1d6 once each for Str, Dex, and Con. On 2-5, use the standard score above (Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10); on a 1, modify by -1; on a 6, add +1. For Int, Wis and Cha, roll 3d6 for each (or for PCs, use the standard 4d6 roll).

Cat clerics and adepts serve Bast, goddess of cats, who is true neutral in alignment. Clerics choose two domains from Animal, Luck, Protection and War (favored weapon: claws).

Cat Familiars

Familiars are magical beasts rather than animals, and cat familiars are no exception. Normal cats can easily recognize cat familiars as non-natural creatures; the real cats' reaction to such a familiar will largely depend on their reaction to the master. A cat familiar cat speak Cat, regardless of its master's level, but gains the ability to speak with other felines at the usual level. A non-feline who speaks Cat can make an Int check or Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 15) to identify "something strange" about a cat familiar, after speaking with and studying the familiar for several minutes. (The DM may give a +2 circumstance bonus if the cat's master is also present.) Cat familiars cannot leap to the Moon.

Other Cats in the Dreamlands

Saturn and Uranus are known to have their own populations of sentient felines, both of which attack Earth's cats on sight. The DM may use his choice of cat-like monsters from the Monster Manual to represent these creatures (the weirder the better!), or create his own statistics.

Deep One

Medium-sized Monstrous Humanoid (Aquatic)

Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (hp 16)

Initiative: +0

Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

AC: 15 (+5 natural)

Attacks: Shortspear +5 melee or 2 claws +5 melee

Damage: Shortspear 1d8+2; claw 1d4+2

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Qualities: Darkvision (60 ft.); amphibious

Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +3

Abilities: Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 8

Skills: Craft or Knowledge (any one) +5, Hide +4, Listen +6, Move Silently +4, Spot +6, Swim +14*

Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude

Climate/Terrain: Any aquatic (saltwater)

Organization: Gang (2-4), cell (2-12 plus one 3rd-level cleric), clan (5-50 plus 2-4 3rd-level clerics, 2-4 3rd-level fighters, and one 5th-level fighter), tribe (40-400 plus one 3rd-level cleric and one 3rd-level fighter per 20 adults, and one 8th-level cleric and one 8th-level fighter), or cult (as tribe, plus 40-400 human-Deep One hybrids)

Challenge Rating: 2

Treasure: Half coins; double goods (usually art); standard items

Alignment: Usually neutral evil

Advancement: By character class

*Includes +8 racial bonus to Swim.

Deep Ones are humanoids with a pronounced resemblance to both fishes and frogs. They are an ancient race, at least as old as man, and are known by many different names (such as "Go-Ha" or "sea devils") due to their dispersion throughout all known seas. They are believed to be immortal except for death by violence.

Deep Ones have their own language. They may learn others, but speak with a distinctly croaking voice.

Amphibious (Ex): Deep Ones can survive indefinitely on land.

Combat

Deep Ones attack with their claws (one swipe per round) or with hunting spears. They are capable of long-term planning and advanced tactics, but sometimes react slowly to surprises.

Deep One Society

See Call of Cthulhu and The Keeper's Compendium for information about Deep One history and society.

Deep One Characters

The favored class for Deep Ones is cleric. Most leaders are clerics or warriors, soemtimes sorcerers. Nearly all Deep Ones worship Great Cthulhu, whose symbol is an image of that octopoid god. Cthulhu's clerics choose two domains from Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Strength and Water.

Human-Deep One Hybrids

Deep Ones have been known to interbreed with other races, though their reasons for doing so remain mysterious. Humans are the most common race chosen for such miscegenation, but others exist.

Human-Deep One hybrids appear in coastal villages where the cult of Cthulhu has taken over. These horrors look human--though usually rather ugly, with goggle eyes and little hair--until they reach age 1d20+20. At that time, they begin to change into Deep Ones: hair falls out, scales and gills appear, etc. The change takes a variable length of time to reach completion (usually 3d4 months), at which time the new Deep One takes to the sea permanently.

Typical statistics for a hybrid are: HD 1d8 (or by class), Str 12, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 9, Deep One Blood, +4 racial bonus to Swim. At the age of change, the hybrid may add monster HD (d8). At 2 HD, the racial bonus to Swim goes up to +8 and the hybrid becomes Amphibious. At 3 HD, the hybrid becomes a full Deep One.

Lamp-Eft

Small Outsider

Hit Dice: 1d8 (hp 4)

Initiative: +2 (Dex)

Speed: fly 20 ft. (perfect)

AC: 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex)

Attacks: Tap ray +3 ranged touch

Damage: Spell drain

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Tap ray, dispel shadow

Special Qualities: Light, sense magic potential

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1

Abilities: Str 3, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 12

Skills: Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4

Feats: Dodge

Climate/Terrain: Upper atmosphere

Organization: Solitary or flight (2-4)

Challenge Rating: 1

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: ---

Lamp-efts are small phosporent creatures resembling salamanders with huge glowing eyes. They are strictly nocturnal creatures who fly about the upper atmosphere, only descending to lower altitudes to feed. They ingest magical energy rather than physical food, and are attracted to characters with spell-casting abilities.

Spellcasters familiar with lamp-efts may call one using summon monster I.

Light (Su): A lamp-eft may emit light (as the spell) from its eyes at will. It may emit or douse this light as a free action, which provokes no attacks of opportunity.

Sense magic potential (Su): Lamp-efts automatically sense whether any given character within 120 feet has spell-casting ability or spell-like abilities. They prefer the company of true spell-casters.

Combat

Lamp-efts have no physical attack. Instead, they can fire a "tap ray" up to 60 feet once per round. Once a lamp-eft is sated by successfully tapping one target, it will only attack again if unable to escape.

Tap ray (Sp): If the lamp-eft hits with a ranged touch attack, the ray drains a small amount of spell ability:

• If the target prepares spells, a random prepared spell is lost.

• If the target does not prepare spells (e.g., sorcerer), then one random unused spell slot is lost.

• If the character has spell ability from more than one class, then randomly choose determine which class will lose the spell or spell slot.

• If the target has spell-like abilities but no spells, the target loses one use of a random ability (or one hour of use, for an "at will" ability).

• If the target has no spells or spell-like abilities (or has exhausted all such abilities for the day) then there is no effect.

Spell ability lost to the tap-ray is regained the next time that the character is able to renew his daily allotment of spells.

Dispel shadow (Sp): The lamp-eft's tap ray may also be used to dispel creatures of magical shadow if the target fails a Will save (DC 11). Undead shadows is destroyed; shadowy outsiders (if such exist) are banished to their home plane. "Shadow" spells and magic items are affected as if a 5th-level caster had used dispel magic against them.

Lamp-eft Companions

Lamp-efts can sometimes be bribed to serve as companions in return for a daily dose of spell energy. In this case, the "master" chooses which spell or spell slot is lost. A lamp-eft needs one first-level spell or two 0-level spells per day (or the equivalent) to maintain its health.

Spider of Leng

Huge Magical Beast (Lesser Independent Race)

Hit Dice: 10d10+30 (85 hp)

Initiative: +6 (Dex, Improved Initiative)

Speed: 30 ft.,climb 20 ft.

Armor Class: 14 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)

Attacks: Bite +12 melee

Damage: Bite 2d6+ 6 + poison

Face/Reach: 15 ft. by 15 ft./10 ft.

Special Attacks: Poison, spells, web

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/+1, darkvision 60 ft., lowlight vision

Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +4

Abilities: Str 18, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 11

Skills: : Climb +20, Hide +7*, Move Silently +6*, Spot +8

Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack

Climate/Terrain: Any warm

Advancement: 11-25 HD (Huge), 26-50 HD (Gargantuan)

CR: 6

Sanity Loss: 1/1d10

*Spiders of Leng gain an additional +8 competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.

There were scenes of old wars, wherein Leng's almost-humans fought with the bloated purple spiders of the neighboring vales.

-- H.P. Lovecraft, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

Leng spiders are huge, purplish arachnids, with pustulent bloated bodies and long, bristly legs. Their color, a pale mottled violet on their abdomens, shades to indigo on their forebodies, with legs and chelae tipped in black.

Native to the Dreamlands, the spiders of Leng are intelligent, dangerous, and gigantic. Newly hatched specimens are approximately the size of Shetland ponies. Some valleys in the Plateau of Leng are almost completely webbed over. Below the cover of webbing, artificial tunnels bustle with the fevered energy of the spiders. Citylike arrangements of web tunnels stretch for miles in all directions, and hundreds of feet up and down, creating three-dimensional structures of incredible complexity. Spiders of Leng constantly seek to expand their territory, pushing out into yet more valleys that they will in turn encase in webs. Sometimes their territorial urge is so overwhelming that they turn on themselves, especially when fresh food is at a premium.

Combat

Spiders of Leng wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size.

Web (Ex): A Leng spider can create a web eight times per day. As one of these uses, the spider can make a ranged touch attack to ensnare an opponent. A web's maximum range is 50 feet, and no range penalties apply even at its maximum range. If the web hits, the target is entangled. An entangled creature suffers -2 on attack rolls and a -4 penalty to Dexterity. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement. If the entangled creature attempts to cast a spell, it must succeed at a Concentration check (DC 15) or be unable to cast the spell. The entangled creature can escape with an Escape Artist check (DC 20) as a full-round action. Alternatively, the strands can be burst with a Strength check (DC 25, also a full-round action); the web has 5 hit points.

Spiders of Leng often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures, but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed at a Spot check (DC 20) to notice a web; otherwise, they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 10 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/fire.

A spider can move across its own sheet web at its climb speed, and can determine the exact location of any creature touching its web.

Poison (Ex): Poison attacks require an initial Fortitude save (DC 22); a failed roll deals 1d8 points of Str damage. Regardless of the initial save, another Fort save is required 1 minute later (DC 22) to avoid secondary damage of 1d8 Str.

Spells: Some spiders know 1d4 spells chosen from the Magic chapter. Spiders of Leng never lose Sanity when casting spells (since they don't have a Sanity score).

Star-Spawn of Cthulhu

Huge Aquatic Outsider (Greater Servitor Race)

Hit Dice: 20d10+100 (210 hp)

Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative)

Speed: 40 ft., swim 40 ft.

Armor Class: 22 (-2 size, +14 natural)

Attacks: 4 tentacle rakes +27 melee, 2 claws +22 melee

Damage: Tentacle rake 2d6+9 (improved critical), claw 2d4+4

Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft.

Special Attacks: Damage reduction 20/+2, fast healing 5, improved grab, rotting constriction

Special Qualities: Spells

Saves: Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +16

Abilities: Str 28, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 21, Wis 19, Cha 10

Skills: Concentration +19, Cthulhu Mythos +15, Listen +15, Search +14, Speak Other Language (any twenty) +15, Spot +15

Feats: Blind-Fight, Expertise, Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes

Climate/Terrain: Any aquatic

Advancement: 21-32 HD (Huge); 33-60 HD (Gargantuan)

CR: 14

Sanity Loss: 1d6/1d20

They all lay in stone houses in their great city of R'lyeh, preserved by the spells of mighty Cthulhu for a glorious resurrection when the stars and the earth might once more be ready. . . .

-- H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"

A star-spawn is a 20-foot-tall anthropoid creature whose head is a mass of feelers and tentacles, above which two eyes as old and cold as an ice age glare at its foes. Its body is rubbery, yet scaled, and its hands and feet end in tremendous claws. Narrow wings hang like a shroud over a star-spawn's shoulders. Wings aren't used for flight, but are deployed for swimming, much as a manta swims.

Star-spawn are lesser, younger examples of the same race from which great Cthulhu himself sprang, though even the youngest is older than humanity. Many were trapped in R'lyeh when it sank, sealed up with their high priest Cthulhu, but some avoided imprisonment. Some still live in deep trenches beneath the ocean and other drowned locales (including a few human city sewers). Others dwell among the stars, such as the entities infesting the Lake of Hali near Aldebaran.

Star-spawn might be encountered by deep-sea explorers intent on raising (or at least searching) a sunken ship or submarine. Sometimes enclaves of deep ones are found near the lairs of star-spawn -- deep ones may even worship lone star-spawn.

Star-spawn are steeped in lore, and can speak the languages of most creatures who once walked the earth in the past, as well as many of the present Earth languages spoken by humans.

Combat

Star-spawn meet most challenges they face with tentacles and claws.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a star-spawn hits an opponent smaller than it with a tentacle, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without allowing its opponent a free attack. The star spawn uses its tentacle to hold the opponent. Assuming the victim doesn't break free on its action, the star-spawn deals 2d8+9 points of damage or use rotting constriction (see below) each round.

Rotting Constriction (Ex): Once a star-spawn has held an opponent with improved grab, it can drain a living victim of 2d4 points of Strength per round.

Spells: All star-spawn know 1d10 spells chosen from the Magic chapter. Star-spawn never lose Sanity when casting spells (since they don't have a Sanity score).

Terror From Beyond

Large Outsider (Lesser Independent Race)

Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp)

Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative)

Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Armor Class: 10 (+1 natural, -1 size)

Attacks: 1 tendril +4 melee

Damage: Tendril 1d8+3

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.

Special Qualities: Blindsight, coexistent form, damage reduction 5/+1

Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4

Abilities: Str 15, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 12

Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7

Feats: Improved Initiative

Climate/Terrain: Any

Advancement: 4-6 HD (Large), 7-12 HD (Huge), 13-24 HD (Gargantuan), 25-50 HD (Colossal)

CR: 1

Sanity Loss: 1/1d10

. . . other beings [ . . . ] can never be detected by the senses we have. [ . . . ] Foremost among the living creatures were inky, jellyfish monstrosities which flabbily quivered [ . . . ]. They were present in loathsome confusion, and I saw to my horror that they overlapped, that they were semifluid and capable of passing through one another and through what we know as solids.

-- H.P. Lovecraft, "From Beyond."

When seen, Terrors from Beyond appear as putrescent, translucent bags of semisolid flesh trailing nests of writhing tendrils. Most of the tendrils are sense organs, but the thickest tendril ends in a cruelly fanged mouth. Predatory in the extreme, terrors constantly prey on each other in their own realm.

The Terrors exist in the greater reality of which humanity's three dimensions of space and one of time are the least part; this far realm overlays normal reality. Likewise, the Terrors are only one example of a realm stranger, by far, than mortal minds can encompass. In the normal course of events, Terrors from Beyond and creatures on earth go blithely about their own business, each unaware of the other. Specific triggers, mechanical or psychic, sometimes coax human senses to that rarified precipice where the Terrors can be sensed -- and where the Terrors can in turn sense their unfortunate observers.

Combat

When a creature of the normal realm of Earth becomes capable of sensing a Terror from Beyond, so can the terror sense that creature, and moreover, act upon it. Always hungry, a Terror uses its main tendril to bite chunks of flesh away from its victim. To those who can't sense the creature, the wounds appear from nowhere.

If a victim is rendered unconscious, the Terror grabs its prey with its tendril, "dragging" the prey bodily into the Terror's own mad realm, where the creature can dine at leisure. Only the victim's clothes and effects remain behind, and anything clutched in the victim's hands takes a one-way trip beyond.

Coexistent Form (Su): Terrors from Beyond are normally invisible. When a material creature (such as an investigator) senses the Terror, it can sense them -- and attack. The Terror can interact only with material creatures that can sense it.

Force-effect spells can affect Terrors from Beyond, as can spells that provide an enhancement bonus. All other spells automatically fail because the Terrors partially exist on another plane of existence. Investigators can still harm them with melee and ranged weapons, but the Terror has damage reduction 5/+1.

An investigator with the Second Sight psychic feat can sense a terror, even if others around him cannot. Successful use of the invisibility purge spell, the Powder of Ibin-Gazi, or an Ultraviolet Projector reveals the Terror to all investigators present.

BEING FROM XICLOTL

[pic]

Huge Aberration (Lesser Independent Race)

Hit Dice: 8d8+64 (100 hp)

Initiative: +2 (Dex)

Speed: 30 ft.

AC: 18 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +8 natural)

Attacks: 6 tentacle rakes +14 melee

Damage: Tentacle rake 1d6+10

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.

Special Attacks: Rend 2d6+15, improved grab, swallow whole

Special Qualities: Blindsight

Saves: Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +6

Abilities: Str 31, Dex 14, Con 27, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 8

Skills: Listen +11, Move Silently +9, Search +5, Spot +11

Feats: Alertness, Power Attack

[pic]

CR: 6

Climate/Terrain: Anywhere the Shans have a base of operations

Organization: Solitary or troop (2d6)

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: 9-16HD (Huge), 17-24HD (Gargantuan)

Sanity Loss: 0/1d6

"I had almost collided, I thought, with a metallically grey tree…about sixteen feet high with very thick cylindrical branches…cylinders further divided into six flat circular extensions. This might merely have been a natural distortion, and such an explanation might also have accounted for the strange arrangement of the branches in a regular circle at the apex of the trunk; but I could reach for no natural explanation when those branches nearest me suddenly extended clutchingly in my direction, and from the top of what I had taken for a trunk rose a featureless oval…an orifice gaping at the top."

—Ramsey Campbell, "The Insects from Shaggai."

These bizarre, tree-like creatures hail from the alien world of Xiclotl, where they worship a plant-like race about which very little is known. Dedicated Xiclotlans sacrifice themselves to these creatures to prove their faith. Xiclotlans are the slaves and servants of the Shans. Useful to the insects of Shaggai thanks to their lack of intelligence and their massive strength, the Xiclotlans are make fine laborers and soldiers.

A Xiclotlan is a tree-like creature, close to twenty feet tall with rough gray skin. Near the top of its cylindrical body there are six flailing tentacles under a toothy maw.

Combat

Xiclotlans attack their prey with rakes from their long tentacles.

Rend (Ex): If a Xiclotlan hits with at least two tentacle rakes, it latches onto the opponent and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals and additional 2d6+15 points of damage.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability a Xiclotlan must hit a Medium-size or smaller opponent with at least two of its tentacles. If it gets a hold, it can try to swallow the foe.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A Xiclotlan can try to swallow a Medium-size or smaller opponent by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of crushing damage per round plus 8 points of acid damage from the Xiclotlan's various ichors and alien digestive enzymes. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using claws or a Small or Tiny slashing weapon to deal 20 points of damage to the gut (AC 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must again cut its own way out. A Xiclotlan's gut can hold one Medium-sized, two Small, four Tiny, eight Diminutive, or sixteen Fine or smaller opponents.

BYAKHEE

[pic]

Medium-size Aberration (Lesser Servitor Race)

Attacks: 2 claws +6 melee, bite +1 melee

Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4

Skills: Balance +4, Hide +8, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Spot +5, Tumble +3

Feats: Lightning Reflexes (byakhee receive the Lightning Reflexes feat for free)

I didn't agree with the designers' decision to make the byakhee a Monstrous Humanoid, so I re-did it as an Aberration. Only those parts of the stat block that changed are listed here.

DEEP ONE

[pic]

Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (Lesser Servitor Race)

Attacks: 2 claws +6 melee, bite +1 melee (on land); or 2 claws +6 melee, 2 rakes +6 melee, bite +1 melee (in water); or longspear +6 melee (land or water)

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +3

I didn't agree with the designers' decision to make the deep one an Aberration, so I re-did it as a Monstrous Humanoid. Only those parts of the stat block that changed are listed here.

DEEP ONE HYBRID (Template)

[pic]

Deep ones and humans are, surprisingly enough, biologically compatible; it is possible for a deep one to impregnate a human. Hybrid deep ones appear perfectly human until they are about 20 years old. At that time the body of the hybrid begins to undergo a slow change. His eyes bulge slightly, and his form becomes hunched and his legs twisted. His walk becomes more of a hop, and his fingers twist into clawed paws. His teeth loosen and fall out, replaced by needle-sharp teeth like those of a piranha. Hybrid deep ones who have begun the change are said to have the 'Innsmouth look.' By age 25, the hybrid completes the transformation to full-blooded deep one and joins his kin in the ocean.

Creating a Deep One Hybrid

"Deep One Hybrid" is a template that can be added to any human of 5th level or lower with deep one ancestry (hereafter referred to as the 'base character'). A character who is a deep one hybrid will begin his transformation at age 20 or when he reaches 5th level, whichever comes first. A deep one hybrid's sanity is reduced to half its current value when the transformation begins. His type changes to Monstrous Humanoid and he gains the subtype 'lesser servitor race.' It uses all the base character's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Hit Dice: Increase by 1.

Speed: Decrease to 20 ft., and base character gains swim 30 ft.

AC: Base character gains a natural armor bonus of +2.

Attacks: A deep one hybrid gains all the attacks of the base character and also gains a claw attack.

Damage: Deep one hybrids have a claw attack which inflicts 1d3 damage.

Special Qualities: A deep one hybrid gains low-light vision, plus the ability to temporarily breathe water. A hybrid deep one can remain submerged in salt water for a number of minutes equal to his Constitution score. After that, he must return to the air or begin to drown.

Saves: The deep one hybrid's high saves become Reflexes and Will.

Abilities: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +2, Cha -2.

Skills: A deep one hybrid ceases to gain skills as an investigator, and instead receives skill points as per a deep one with extra hit dice. The core skills of a deep one hybrid are the same as those for a deep one.

Feats: A deep one hybrid receives the Alertness feat for free.

CR: As base character +1

Advancement: As deep one.

San Loss: 0/1d3 (1d4 if known to the viewer)

GHAST

[pic]

Large Monstrous Humanoid (Lesser Independent Race)

Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)

Initiative: +1 (Dex)

Speed: 40 ft.

AC: 10 (-1 size, +1 Dex)

Attacks: Kick +9 melee, bite +4 melee, or 2 claws +9 melee

Damage: Kick 1d6+6, bite 1d4+3, claw 1d4+3

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Rend 2d4+4

Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 ft. , scent, light vulnerability

Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4

Abilities: Str 22, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 8

Skills: Jump +16, Move Silently +4, Spot +3

Feats: Power Attack

[pic]

CR: 3

Climate/Terrain: Underground

Organization: Solitary, pair, or gang (2d4)

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 5-12HD (Large)

Sanity Loss: 0/1d8

"Repulsive beings that die in the light…and leap on long hind legs…a pair of yellowish red eyes…Ghasts have indeed an excellent sense of smell…something about the size of a small horse hopped out into the grey twilight, and Carter turned sick at the aspect of that scabrous and unwholesome beast, whose face was so curiously human despite the absence of a nose, a forehead, and other particulars…they spoke in coughing gutturals."

—H. P. Lovecraft, "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath."

Ghasts are a carnivorous, cannibalistic race of degenerate humanoids that live deep in the caverns of the Earth's Dreamlands. They do, occasionally, cross over into the Waking World.

Ghasts are about 8 feet tall, and hop around on long legs. The head of a ghast is somewhat human, although it lacks many of the recognizable features of a human face. They are perpetually stooped over, and their clawed hands hang to their knees. A ghast will eat nearly any organic material it can fit in its mouth, including the bodies of their own kind. It is possible to, more or less, tame a ghast, and many beings use them as bodyguards, soldiers, or even mounts.

Ghast speak their own language, which consists of rough barking, coughing sounds.

Combat Ghasts primarily kick in melee, taking advantage of their long, strong legs. Against particularly tough opponents a ghast will kick and bite, or use its claws.

Rend (Ex): If a ghast hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh. This automatically deals and additional 2d4+4 damage.

Light Vulnerability (Ex): Ghasts suffer a -4 penalty to attack rolls in light. A ghast suffers 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage per hour it spends in sunlight.

Skills: *Ghasts receive a +4 racial bonus to Jump checks.

LURKER INVISIBLE

[pic]

Medium-size Outsider (Lesser Independent Race)

Hit Dice: 3d8+12 (25 hp)

Initiative: +8 (Dex, Improved Initiative)

Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect)

AC: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection)

Attacks: Claw +8 melee

Damage: Claw 1d6+5

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Improved grab, acid

Special Qualities: Natural invisibility, semi-material, animate corpse

Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +8

Abilities: Str 20, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 18

Skills: Intimidate +8, Listen +9, Move Silently +8, Search +9, Sense Motive +9, Spot +9

Feats: Improved Initiative

[pic]

CR: 3

Climate/Terrain: Any land

Organization: Solitary

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 4-6HD (Medium-size); 7-9HD (Large)

Sanity Loss: 1/1d8

"Words cannot describe the faceless thing with a thousand maws. It roiled and bubbled, never fully revealing itself. So terrifying was its aspect that I sat as though frozen to the floor, the pen falling from my nerveless fingers… With its arms, or those appendages that seemed most like arms, it took hold of poor Robert and twisted his head around as though it was a doll's head. The lifeless corpse was then thrown back in Harold's lap and that is when he began that damnable shrieking—the shrieking that hadn't stopped even after we handed him over to the sheriff's men."

—From the adventure Edge of Darkness, in the Call of Cthulhu BRP (CHA 2386)

Best described as a malevolent cloud of evil, a Lurker Invisible is a semi-material being from some unknown plane. A transparent creature that haunts the edges of visibility being partially incorporeal, it can move through solid objects like a ghost. Progress through material barriers can be slowed by the obstacle's density and thickness, however. A lurker invisible can solidify portions of its body to attack physically. When it does so, it manifests a huge clawed hand or paw and tears at its victim without mercy. A lurker invisible is capable of speech, but all it usually cares to say are harsh vocalizations of obscenity, incoherent growling, screams, and gasps. Most terrifying of all, a lurker invisible has the power to cloud the mind of those that see it, forcing them to bend to its will. His mind no longer his own, the pawn of a lurker invisible will do anything his dark master desires. Even the dead are not immune to the eldritch calls and commanding presence of the lurker invisible—these ghastly spirits can animate corpses and use them as pawns in its hunt for victims.

If its form is somehow revealed or defined, a lurker invisible resembles a swirling mass of claws, teeth, eyes, and limbs that hovers in a sphere of chaos. A lurker invisible is apparently some form of spirit creature, as it can be bound and warded by mystic symbols and rituals.

Combat

A lurker invisible attacks by solidifying a paw with wickedly barbed talons with which it swipes at its prey. If a lurker invisible can kill its prey, it chews out the heart and leaves the rest of the mauled corpse to terrorize those that find it.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the Lurker must hit a Medium-size or smaller opponent with a claw attack. If it gets a hold, it can make an automatic bite attack the following round as a move or attack action. The bite attack inflicts 1d6+2 damage.

Acid (Su): The Lurker can, as an attack action, generate a spray of alien acid which forces the targeted creatures within 30 feet to make a Reflex save (DC 15) or suffer 1d2 points of acid damage.

Natural Invisibility (Ex): Attackers must guess location, and all attacks are 50% likely to miss. A lurker is always invisible on this plane, even when attacking. Even if its form is somehow revealed, such as by the powder of Ibn-Gazi, a lurker invisible becomes only partially visible as a whirling distortion in the air.

Semi-Material (Ex): The Lurker is only partially material, and has many of the benefits of being incorporeal. It can only be harmed by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. It is immune to all non-magical attack forms, and any attack from a physical source has a 50% chance to miss. Force spells affect it normally, and it has a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier. Unlike other incorporeal creatures, the Lurker does not always move silently and does have a Strength score. The Lurker can make physical attacks by solidifying its claws and teeth as needed. Passing through solid objects takes the lurker 1 round per 2 points of Hardness (i.e. a wall with a hardness of 10 takes the Lurker 5 rounds to move through).

Animate Corpse (Su): At will the Lurker can animate corpses as per the black binding spell as a 3rd level spell caster.

MOONBEAST

[pic]

Medium-size Aberration (Lesser Independent Race)

Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)

Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative)

Speed: 30 ft.

AC: 10

Attacks: Spear +6 melee or claw +5 melee

Damage: Spear 1d10+3, claw 1d3+3

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Spells, torture

Special Qualities: Blindsight, DR 10/-, immunities

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3

Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 11, Cha 10

Skills: Climb +5, Cthulhu Mythos +5, Heal +8, Hide +5, Intimidate +6, Jump +6, Knowledge (Anatomy, any three creatures) +5, Listen +4, Move Silently +5, Research +7

Feats: Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (Spear)

[pic]

CR: 1

Climate/Terrain: Subterranean bases on the moon of Earth's Dreamlands, and perhaps on the moon of the Waking World.

Organization: Solitary, mob (2d6), or hive (1d10×10)

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 4-5HD (Medium-size), 6-10HD (Large)

Sanity Loss: 0/1d8

"Great grayish-white slippery things which could expand and contract at will, and whose principle shape—though it was often changed—was that of a sort of toad without any eyes, but with a curious vibrating mass of short pink tentacles on the end of its blunt, vague snout."

—H. P. Lovecraft, "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath."

The moon-beasts are eyeless, vaguely toad-like creatures that dwell in vast subterranean complexes. They have a mass of writhing tentacles around their gaping maw, and their skin is sickly pale and rubbery. Moon-beasts are boneless, holding their shape only through the toughness of their skin. They squish and stretch through their dark caverns muttering blasphemous truths to any creature capable of hearing them. Moon-beasts worship Nyarlathotep and endlessly chant his many names.

Moon-beasts are known for their cruelty; they are masters of torture and engage in the practice with any unfortunate being they happen to capture. Any captive creature unknown to them is subjected to a vast array of medical and scientific experiments for the sole purpose of discovering what can cause the greatest physical and mental anguish. Moon-beasts also commonly enslave intelligent beings to act as servants, subjects for their vile experiments, and bodyguards. These horrid things have an army of enslaved Men of Leng.

The moon-beasts dwell primarily in bases on the moon of Earth's Dreamlands. They are rumored to have broken the veil between the Dreamlands and the Waking World, and established similar bases on the moon of the Waking World.

Combat

Moon-beasts favor long, barbed spears in melee but they have access to other weapons such as electric prods, energy beam projectors, and the like.

Torture (Ex): Moon-beasts are monstrously sadistic, and engage in the torture of captive beings for the simple pleasure of it. Any creature subjected to torture at the paws of a moon-beast suffers the loss of 1d6 temporary points of Constitution per day, and must make a San check every day or loose 1/1d8 points of Sanity. If the moon-beast asks questions of its captive, the captive must make a Will save equal to 10 + the Constitution points lost that day or answer truthfully.

A moon-beast will not let its plaything die as a result of the torture. When the captive's Constitution drops to 1 the moon-beast will grant it a reprieve from the torture until it is back to full health. Each month of captivity and torture, however, permanently reduces the captive's Constitution by 1.

Spells: All moon-beasts know 1d3 spells. They tend to concentrate on spells that inflict harm, and those related to Nyarlathotep. Moon-beasts suffer no ability score or Sanity loss from spell casting.

Immunities (Ex): A moon-beast is a rubbery mass of boneless extraterrestrial flesh, and is immune to bludgeoning damage.

MYTHOS FAMILIAR

[pic]

Tiny Outsider (Lesser Servitor Race)

Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)

Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative)

Speed: 20 ft.

AC: 16 (+2 size, +4 Dex)

Attacks: Bite -2 melee

Damage: Bite 1d3-3

Face/Reach: 2 ft. by 2 ft./2 ft.

Special Attacks: Tempter

Special Qualities: One mind, horrid pupil

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6

Abilities: Str 4, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 14

Skills: Concentration +6, Cthulhu Mythos +10, Hide +15, Spellcraft +7

Feats: Dodge

[pic]

CR: 1

Climate/Terrain: Any; the native plane or planet from which Mythos-familiars come is unknown

Organization: Solitary

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 2-3HD (Tiny)

Sanity Loss: Varies, usually 0/1d4 or 0/1d6

"Soon after the investigator wakes up…he will be visited by a foot-long grotesque toad-like figure which will introduce itself as Puddock, the investigator's new friend, companion, and familiar spirit, in a strangled voice."

—Mark Pettigrew and Sandy Petersen, in The Cthulhu Companion, the adventure The Secret of Castronegro.

A Mythos-familiar is a peculiar creature summoned into existence when a living, intelligent creature puts on an Eldritch Ring. No two Mythos-familiars are like, but the form of one of these creatures is usually reminiscent of some being that brings fear or revulsion to humans; a Mythos-familiar could resemble a rat, a cat-sized spider or toad, a maggot or slug the length of a human arm, or any other repulsive creature. Mythos-familiars are actually formless spirits, only assuming a physical shape that its master can comprehend. Regardless of form, Mythos-familiars are oozing, bloated things. They are capable of speech in a gurgling voice.

Eldritch Ring

An Eldritch Ring is an ornate band of gold bearing an impressively large ruby. When placed onto the finger of a living, intelligent being, the wearer will suddenly feel a shock that rips through his nervous system. He will fall into a coma for 1d6 weeks. Once put on, an Eldritch Ring cannot be removed without removing the finger or hand upon which it was placed. After the short coma, the wearer of the ring will discover their Mythos-familiar. An Eldritch Ring immediately stops all the effects of aging on its wearer, and provides them with Regeneration 15 and DR 5 (the ring glows brightly while the Regeneration is working). While regenerating, the wearer is incapable of taking any actions. The ring also links the wearer permanently to the mind of their Mythos-familiar. Should the ring be removed the former wearer immediately suffers all the effects of aging, including withering to a desiccated corpse or blowing away as dust if centuries have passed. If a ring-familiar is killed or otherwise destroyed, another one will appear within a week—they only way to truly be rid of a familiar is to remove the ring. The process by which an Eldritch Ring is created and linked to a familiar is currently unknown.

Combat

A Mythos-familiar usually attacks with spells, resorting to physical combat only if absolutely necessary.

Tempter (Ex): It is the mission and the ultimate goal of a Mythos-familiar to get its master to swear loyalty to the Great Old Ones, and to this end it will tempt is master to cast spells of summoning (if known), or to read any tome to which he has access. A character must make a Will save (DC 12) or give in to such temptation. A character reduced to 0 Sanity or less while under the influence of a Mythos-familiar becomes a Cult Sorcerer.

One Mind (Su): Through the Eldritch Ring, a Mythos-familiar forms a permanent open link to its master's mind; everything known by or made known to the master is likewise known to the Mythos-familiar. It is aware of all of the master's hopes, dreams, memories, and thoughts. Because of this, any attack made by the master against the Mythos-familiar automatically fails. This is a two-way link, but the Mythos-familiar can choose when to send thoughts to its master.

Horrid Pupil (Su): A Mythos-familiar begins with no spells, but it can learn any spell its master knows in only 1 day. The Mythos-familiar can also use its mind link and innate knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos to aid the process of learning spells from tomes; any spell studied from a tome by the wearer of an Eldritch Ring takes only 1 week to learn.

PROTO-SHOGGOTH (Template)

[pic]

"A mass of proto-shoggoth tissue looks like a large piece of human flesh, light brown or tan colored, with nipples, navels, what seem to be ridges where muscle or bone is sticking up, and even eyes or other human orifices. There may be what appear to be large open wounds that do not bleed, acting as openings to the interior, where intestines and other organs may be visible. The whole continually quivers, breathes rhythmically, and heaves. It can thrust out a limb at will, which will resemble a human limb, though it may bend in the wrong spot, or have thickly corded muscles where they should not be. The thing may be compared to a purse of human skin that encloses a mass of different organs and body parts. The 'purse' is packed too full, so the parts within seem to be pushing out against its walls."

—Various authors, in the adventure module The Asylum and Other Tales.

Proto-shoggoths were introduced to the modern world through the experiments of Dr. Terrence Freygan. Through delving into tomes not meant for human eyes and visions he studied through a gate-like scrying window, Dr. Freygan learned the dread secrets of the creation of shoggoths from the Old Ones. Combining this ghastly knowledge with his own brilliant insights into biochemistry, Dr. Freygan was able to combine the alien substance of the shoggoths with human flesh. Although Dr. Freygan's notes and laboratory were destroyed when the Greenwood Asylum burned to the ground, rumors have recently been circulating that at least a few of his journals and diagrams survived. At least one gibbering lunatic tucked away in a dark corner in the asylum in Arkham claims to have been present during the fire, and through screams and throat-splitting laughter rants about a 'bag of flesh' that crawled from the flames and dropped into the nearby river.

The process for creating a proto-shoggoth involves a roomful of machinery, chemicals, and reagents the likes of which haven't been on this earth for one hundred million years. Capacitors, wires, electrical control banks, and glass cylinders of various unknown and unknowable materials surround a large bathtub-like vat beneath a huge parabolic mirror. One large glass cylinder is used to contain the proto-shoggoth matter; before organic material is added some shoggoth tissue must be in this cylinder. A victim is strapped into the vat under the cylinders and charged with electrical energy. Carefully timed doses of the various chemicals are released into the vat to seethe and react with the body. After hours have passed, the body is lifted into the cylinder of proto-shoggoth tissue where it slowly dissolves and joins the mass. If a single living victim is used, the resulting proto-shoggoth will retain the victim's mental attributes and skills, but the process shatters the mind. Victims are automatically reduced to 0 Sanity. If more than one victim is used in the creation of a proto-shoggoth, the resulting mass is a great mindless lump of tissue that strikes out at anything within range.

A proto-shoggoth can create multiple limbs and mouths as needed from its mass, but only has the coordination to attack with two punches or kicks and a bite in a single round. It can make each of its three attacks against three different opponents. Enraged, a proto-shoggoth will single out a foe for its crush attack.

Creating a Proto-Shoggoth

"Proto-shoggoth" is a template that can be added to any organic being (hereafter referred to as the "base creature"). Its type changes to aberration. It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities, except as noted here.

Hit Dice: Same as base creature, increase to 1d8; if more than one victim is used in the creation of the proto-shoggoth, the HD is equal to the total HD of the victims. For humans and other creatures that advance as investigators, only count the creature's base number of HD when determining the HD of a proto-shoggoth (i.e. 1HD for a human, 2HD for a mi-go, etc.)

Speed: Same as base creature.

Attacks: A proto-shoggoth made from a single victim retains the attacks of the base creature and also gains slam and bite attacks if it didn't already have one. Proto-shoggoths made from multiple victims have only two slams and a bite attack.

Damage: Proto-shoggoths have slam and bite attacks. If the base creature does not have these attack forms, use the damage values in the table below. Creatures with natural attacks retain their old damage ratings or use the values below, whichever is greater.

|Size |Bite Damage |Slam Damage |

|Fine |1d2 |1 |

|Diminutive |1d3 |1d2 |

|Tiny |1d4 |1d3 |

|Small |1d6 |1d4 |

|Medium-size |2d4 |1d6 |

|Large |2d6 |1d8 |

|Huge |2d8 |2d6 |

|Gargantuan |4d8 |2d8 |

|Colossal |4d8 |4d6 |

Special Attacks: A proto-shoggoth made from a single victim retains all the special attacks and spells of the base creature and also gains those listed below. Proto-shoggoths made from multiple victims have only the qualities below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 proto-shoggoth's HD + proto-shoggoth's Constitution modifier unless otherwise noted.

Engulf: Although it moves slowly, a proto-shoggoth can simply mow down one creature its size or smaller as a standard action. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it engulfs. The proto-shoggoth merely has to move over the opponent. Opponents cant make opportunity attacks against the proto-shoggoth, but if they do they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt opportunity attacks must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 proto-shoggoth's HD + proto-shoggoth's Strength modifier) or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent's choice) as the proto-shoggoth moves forward. Engulfed creatures are subject to the proto-shoggoth's crush attack, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. An opponent must make a Strength or Escape Artist check (DC 10 + 1/2 proto-shoggoth's HD + proto-shoggoth's Strength modifier) to escape.

Crush: A proto-shoggoth can contract its muscles and grind its many bones against an engulfed opponent, automatically dealing double slam damage to the victim. An engulfed opponent is also smothered by the folds of flesh and entrails, and is subject to suffocation as described in the Combat section (see pg. 90).

Special Qualities: A proto-shoggoth made from a single victim retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains those listed below. Proto-shoggoths made from multiple victims have only the qualities below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 proto-shoggoth's HD + proto-shoggoth's Constitution modifier unless otherwise noted.

Soft-Bodied (Ex): The constantly shifting, rearranging body of a proto-shoggoth provides it with DR 20/—, and Regenerate 2.

Amorphous (Ex): A proto-shoggoth is not subject to critical hits. It has no clear front or back, so it cannot be flanked.

All-Around Vision (Ex): A proto-shoggoth can open an eye at will anywhere on its body, and usually has several of them at any given time. This ability gives them a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Search checks.

Alternate Form (Ex): This ability is only possessed by proto-shoggoths made from a single victim. The proto-shoggoth is able to maintain a humanoid form to disguise its true nature. In moments of stress or great emotion, however, the proto-shoggoth must make a Will save (DC determined by the GM based on the situation) or loose control and revert to the amorphous form.

Saves: If one victim was used in the creation of the proto-shoggoth, same as base creature. Proto-shoggoths made from multiple victims have Saves as per an Aberration with HD equal to the proto-shoggoth.

Abilities: A proto-shoggoth made from a single victim has the same ability scores as the base creature. A proto-shoggoth made from multiple victims has the following ability scores: Str 10 + 3 per victim, Dex 10 +/- twice its size modifier, Con 10 + 2 per victim, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 10.

Skills: Same as base creature if made from a single victim. Proto-shoggoths made from multiple victims have Intelligence × 2 skill points, plus 2 per EHD.

Feats: Same as base creature if made from a single victim; proto-shoggoths made from multiple victims have receive the Power Attack feat for free even if they don't qualify for it.

[pic]

CR: Same as base creature +2

Climate/Terrain: Any

Organization: Solitary

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: As an investigator if made with a single victim; if made with multiple victims >1/8HD Diminutive, 1/8-1/4HD Tiny, 1/4-1/2HD Small, 1/2-1HD Medium-size, 2-4HD Large, 5-8HD Huge, 9-16HD Gargantuan, 17HD+ Colossal.

Sanity Loss: 1/1d10

Sample Proto-Shoggoth

The following sample proto-shoggoth uses a 7th-level defense option Investigator as the base creature.

Dr. Terrence Freygan, 7th Level Defense Option Psychologist (Proto-Shoggoth)

[pic]

Medium-size Aberration (Lesser Independent Race) Hit Dice: 7d8+7 (38 hp)

Initiative: +2 (Dex)

Speed: 30 ft.

AC: 12 (+2 Dex)

Attacks: 2 slams +7, bite +2

Damage: Slam 1d6+2, bite 2d4+1

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Engulf, crush 2d6+4, spells (gate, call Arawassa, create scrying window)

Special Qualities: Soft-bodied (DR 20/-, regenerate 2), amorphous, all-around vision, alternate form

Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6

Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 7

Skills: Cthulhu Mythos +9, Diplomacy +13, Gather Information +11, Heal +14, Knowledge (biology) +14, Knowledge (chemistry) +14, Knowledge (electrical repair) +14, Knowledge (medicine) +14, Knowledge (psychology) +14, Listen +3, Psychoanalysis +15, Research +14, Sense Motive +12, Spot +3

Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Trustworthy

[pic]

CR: 9

Alignment: Chaotic evil

Advancement: As investigator

Sanity: -10

Sanity Loss: 1/1d10

SAND-DWELLER

[pic]

Medium-size Humanoid (Lesser Servitor Race)

Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (10 hp)

Initiative: +1 (Dex)

Speed: 30 ft.

AC: 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural)

Attacks: 2 claws +2 melee

Damage: Claw 1d3

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Spells

Special Qualities: Light sensitive, darkvision 60 ft.

Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3

Abilities: Str 11, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8

Skills: Climb +1, Hide +4, Listen +2, Move Silently +3, Spot +3

Feats: Alertness

[pic]

CR: 1

Climate/Terrain: The deserts of the American Southwest, perhaps other deserts, and near the Great Old Ones

Organization: Solitary, gang (2d6), or colony (3d12)

Treasure: Half standard

Alignment: Always neutral evil

Advancement: 3-6HD (Medium-size)

Sanity Loss: 0/1d6

"Then out of one of the caves came a Sand-Dweller—rough-skinned, large-eyed, large-eared, with a horrible, distorted resemblance to the koala bear facially, though his body had an appearance of emaciation. He shambled toward me, manifestly eager."

—H. P. Lovecraft, and August Derleth, "The Gable Window."

Sand-dwellers are hunched, leering creatures that live in arid desert regions in deep caves and mines. They are approximately humanoid in size and shape, with large eyes and elephantine ears. Their rough skin is similar to sandpaper in texture, and their hands end in wickedly curved claws. Sand-dwellers are strictly nocturnal, and sources of bright light hurt their large sensitive eyes.

The only known home of the sand-dwellers are the Mojave and Sonora Deserts of the American Southwest, but it is likely that they reside in other desert regions as well. The most likely place for another tribe of sand-dwellers is over the ruins of G'harne, in the Sahara. Sand dwellers also form colonies around those Great Old Ones that are buried in or near desert regions.

Combat

Sand-dwellers enter combat wildly flailing their clawed hands, screaming in unearthly wails of rage and eagerness.

Spells: Certain exceptional sand-dwellers (i.e. those of at least 4HD and with a Wisdom of 14 or greater) will know as many as 1d8 spells. Sand-dwellers that live near a Great Old One may know spells relating to that particular deity.

Light-Sensitivity (Ex): Sand-dwellers suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls in bright light.

TROLL, TSATHOGGHUAN

[pic]

Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (Lesser Servitor Race) Hit Dice: 2d8+12 (21 hp)

Initiative: -2 (Dex)

Speed: 40 Ft.

AC: 11 (-2 Dex, +3 natural)

Attacks: Club +7 melee, or claw +7 melee, bite +2 melee, or thrown object +0 ranged

Damage: Club 1d6+6, claw 1d4+6, bite 1d3+3, thrown object 1d4+6

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: Blizzard, spells

Special Qualities: Scent, cold immunity, low light vision

Saves: Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +3

Abilities: Str 20, Dex 7, Con 22, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 9

Skills: Climb +9, Hide +7*, Listen +4, Move Silently +9, Spot +4

Feats: Stealthy

[pic]

CR: 2

Climate/Terrain: Any cold land, but thus far only encountered in Norway

Organization: Solitary, family (1d4+1), or tribe (2d8)

Treasure: Half standard

Alignment: Usually chaotic evil

Advancement: 3-6HD (Medium-size)

Sanity Loss: 0/1d4 at first sight, none thereafter

"Edward was injured in a fall, but he was killed by what some have called trolls, degenerate descendants of the fierce prehuman hominids of legend, not wolves…The so-called trolls…worship Tsathogghua."

—Marcus L. Rowland, the Games Workshop adventure Nightmare in Norway.

What these creatures call themselves is unknown, for their language is incomprehensible to humans. Their existence is the basis for the stories of the Norse trolls, so for lack of any better name they are referred to as such. Those that have encountered them have reported their strange, seemingly religious practices in which they bow to strange frog-like idols in dim caves. One reference in a logbook found in the dusty archives of Miskatonic University referred to them outright as Tsathogghuan trolls.

Massively strong and cunning, these creatures are the long descendants of proto-humanoid creatures that did not go extinct like others of their kind after the last ice age. Trolls stand approximately 6 feet tall, but they are much broader and stockier than any living human. Their dull white fur is caked to their bodies in foul matted strips, and they reek with unimaginable odors. They have vaguely ape-like faces, but are far uglier than is possible for any mundane primate. Trolls dwell in communal warrens awash with filth and gore.

Combat

Trolls fight with surprising intelligence and planning, often taking by surprise those who assume they are simple savages. They tend to avoid combat, but will attack humans if the odds seem right.

Blizzard (Su): This special ability is one granted by Tsathogghua himself to his loyal minions. By concentrating and chanting for 20d6 minutes, a troll can summon forth a blizzard that lasts for 2d6 hours. The troll using this ability must also permanently sacrifice one point of Constitution. The area of affect is centered on the point where it is cast, and has a radius of 300 feet; the radius doubles for each additional temporary point of Constitution spent in the casting. Anyone caught in such a blizzard suffers the effects of a Windstorm and takes cold damage as described in the Combat chapter (see Weather Hazards, page 87). Snow accumulation is 1 inch per hour.

Cold Immunity (Ex): Trolls are immune to the effects of normal cold, sheltered from the elements by thick matted fur and a layer of warm fat. Unnatural or otherwise magical cold can harm them normally, as can temperatures below -100º Fahrenheit.

Spells: There is only a 10% chance that a given troll will know any spells; the number of spells known is equal to the roll of the d%. Certain trolls that make contact with Tsathogghua himself (or any other Cthulhu Mythos being) become shamans, receiving the Cult Sorcerer template and thereafter gaining levels as per an Offense Option investigator with the following core skills: Animal Empathy, Concentration, Craft (shamantic ritual artifacts), Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, and Wilderness Lore.

Skills: *Trolls receive a +2 racial bonus to Hide checks when in snowy terrain, and a +4 to Move Silently checks through forested terrain.

|[p|[pic] |

|ic| |

|] |Home > Roleplaying Games > Call of Cthulhu  |

| |[pic][pic] |

| | |

| |[pic] |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| |Excerpts from the Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game |

| |For the d20 System |

| |[pic] |

| |Sample God |

| |Azathoth |

| |Colossal Outsider (Greater God) |

| |Domains: Evil, Chaos, Madness, Death |

| |Hit Dice: 72d8+2091 (2,666 hp) |

| |Initiative: +5 (Dex, Improved Initiative) |

| |Speed: 140 ft., fly 360 ft. |

| |AC: 63 (-8 size, +1 Dex, +40 natural, +20 divine) |

| |Attacks: 6 slam +102 melee |

| |Damage: Slam 4d6+17 (improved critical) + Int drain |

| |Face/Reach: 40 ft. by 40 ft./25 ft. |

| |Special Attacks: Int drain, wail of madness, alter reality, divine celerity, squamous blast |

| |Special Qualities: Divine qualities, remote sensing 20, damage reduction 55/+4, SR 52, darkvision 60 ft., divine fast healing 200, fire resistance 40, cold |

| |resistance 40, sonic immunity |

| |Saves: Fort +89, Ref +61, Will +61 |

| |Abilities: Str 45, Dex 13, Con 69, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 34 |

| |Skills: Concentration +104, Cthulhu Mythos +71, Knowledge (planes) +71, Hide -15, Listen +66, Spot +3 |

| |Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Dodge, Endurance, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning |

| |Reflexes , Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Sunder, Toughness, Weapon Focus (slam) |

| |Climate: Any |

| |Organization: Unique |

| |Challenge Rating: 50 |

| |Treasure: x5 standard |

| |Alignment: Chaotic Evil |

| |Advancement: None |

| |Sanity Loss: 1d10/1d% |

| |That last amorphous blight of nethermost confusion which blasphemes and bubbles at the centre of all infinity -- the boundless daemon sultan Azathoth, whose name no|

| |lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin |

| |monotonous whine of accursed flutes. |

| |-- H.P. Lovecraft, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |

| |Azathoth is the chief deity of the Cthulhu Mythos, and has existed since before creation. Some say it had a hand in the creation of the multiverse (or at least a |

| |psuedopod). It dwells beyond normal space-time at the center of all existence, where its amorphous body writhes unceasingly to the monotonous piping of a flute. |

| |Lesser gods and servitors dance mindlessly round Azathoth to the same music. |

| |Azathoth is both blind and idiotic, a "monstrous nuclear chaos." In fact, the essence of Azathoth is part of all physical matter in the multiverse, though he can |

| |also manifest as the distinct amorphous mass described here. |

| |Worship |

| |Other gods of the Mythos revere, and even worship, Azathoth. For instance, Great Cthulhu himself is the chief priest of Azathoth, though he serves from afar, and |

| |only when the stars are right. The chief instrument of Azathoth is Nyarlathotep (though some say it is Nyarlathotep that controls the idiot deity Azathoth). The |

| |urges of Azathoth are immediately fulfilled by the Crawling Chaos. |

| |Azathoth is rarely worshiped by mortals, for the god offers little in return. (In D&D, only a few clerics who serve Azathoth are granted powers from the god's |

| |domains.) Usually Azathoth is called by accident, thereby unwittingly bringing disaster and horror. Only the criminally insane knowingly worship such a being. |

| |Nonetheless, such worshipers may have special insights into the nature of the universe, its origin, powers, and meaning, insights perhaps understandable only by |

| |other madmen. Supplicants who are truly daring may seek to summon the manifestation of Azathoth, though doing so entails terrible risk, lest Azathoth become |

| |irritated at the interruption of its servitors' incessent piping. |

| |Combat |

| |Azathoth is never alone at the center of existence. Even if called or summoned, it manifests with one flautist (usually a Servitor of the Outer Gods) to play its |

| |music, and 1d4 other gods described in this book. |

| |If engaged in physical combat, Azathoth forms psuedopods from its amorphous flesh, which it uses to slam enemies. However, its favorite tactic against mortal |

| |enemies is its Wail of Madness. Only if pressed by enemy deities will Azathoth deign to use its terrible divine blast, annihilating all mortal foes nearby so that |

| |it may concentrate its energies against the gods. |

| |Intelligence Drain (Su): Whenever Azathoth hits an opponent with a slam attack from a pseudopod, the opponent is permanently drained of 2d4 Intelligence points (or |

| |twice that on a critical hit) as he is momentarily forced to stare into the abyss that is Azathoth's mind. |

| |Wail of Madness (Su): At will, Azathoth can produce a terrible keening. All creatures within 100 feet who have a Sanity score are reduced to 1 Sanity if they fail a|

| |Will saving throw (DC 62). |

| |Alter Reality (Sp): The deity can duplicate any spell in this book or any spell of 9th-level or less in the D&DPlayer's Handbook as a standard action. The |

| |duplicated spell has no material or XP component. Its saving throw (if one is allowed) is 62 plus the god's Charisma modifier. |

| |Divine Celerity (Su): The god acts as if hasted for 10 minutes (100 rounds) each day. The duration of the effect need not be consecutive rounds. Activating this |

| |power is a free action. |

| |Squamous Blast (Su): Azathoth can use this power 24 times a day. The ray created can extend up to 20 miles. Targets the ray strikes take 42d12 points of damage. No |

| |saving throw exists for this, but the god must make a ranged touch attack to hit. |

| |Azathoth's blast usually takes the form of a half-melted lump of insane dream accompanied by a shrill chorus of thundering flutes. The damage dealt is divine |

| |damage. Energy resistance has no effect against the ray. |

| |The ray destroys any wall of force, prismatic wall, or prismatic sphere it hits (all layers in a prismatic effect are destroyed). The ray itself is unaffected and |

| |can strike a target behind the wall of force or prismatic effect. |

| |Remote Sensing (Ex): Azathoth can extend its senses to 20 remote locations at once (and still sense what's going on around itself). |

| | |

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download